Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-16
THE BRIDGE TRAGEDY.
Was Mrs. B9tger Murdered or was
it Suicide?

oil Ernest LaugenheIm, foot passen>
ger, whose testimony is chiefly important
from the fact that he saw the defendant
not more than two steps from the body
after it was over the railing. The states
attorney told the court that be was on
the track of testimony which if found
would be decisive. of the case; that the
parties would not be here until today,
and he wanted permission to put in this
testimony if it was accessible at any
time before the defense closed their case,
which the court granted The testimony
which the state hopes to get is that of
the brakeman gu the freight train that
passed over the BRUCE about the time of
the tragedy. and whom 1t is claimed was
an eye witness to the affair
Ernest Laugenheim: / live in Daven>
port; am cigar maker; l work for REIN
er Reimers, of Moline. On the 3lst of
last July | was in Rock Island. and
started for the bridge about O'clock.
When | came near the bridge near the
guard house at the south end, | heard a
noise on the bridge. kind of rustling
of the railing; then stopped while and
then started off again toward the bridge,
and when ! took the first step on the
bridge looked toward the place where
the noise came from and saw an object
falling over the railing; l could see it
plainly; the night was dark but not too
dark to see plainly, and after a moment
heard splash and a scream After
saw the body fall and heard the scream,
saw a man standing near where the
body went over; started toward him; |
asked him what was the matter. and if
woman jumped into the river, and he
said yes. He asked me to speak in Ger
man which | did. All this time | was
looking into the river, and | heard her
scream three times, the last time a CUR
Cling sound like pouring water out of
Jug. but heard no cry for help When
heard the woman scream the third time
| saw a boat rushing toward where
the woman sank and then went to the
guard house, and Betger told his story,
but paid no attention to it. When l.
saw Beiger on the bridge at first asked
him if he knew the woman AM he said
he did not. AftCrward in the guard
house be said she was his wife. Betger|
walked with easy. slow steps, aud was
perfectly calm; he did nothing to save
his wife, he locked very quiet and wasn't
excited at all, like all the rest of US were
When | saw the body over the railing
B9tger was very close to where the body
went over, at the very highest estimate
two steps from her. Betger never look
ed into the water during all this time,
but when they were taking him to the
guard house objected to being put into
dark room.
BpTGER ON THE STAND
Abou: four o'clock the defense put the
defendant on the stand. After testifying
to his personal history, his birthplace,
etc, and ancestors, he said he came TO
America on the 9Th Of August, 1882 and
came direct to Davenport He testified
TO working steadily ever since his arrival
for the Rock Island Lumber company, for
farmer out in Iowa. in the Government
canal at Moline. and finally for the
Musser Lumber company at Muscatine.
where he was working at the time of the
tragedy. | became acquainted with my
wife when | was boarding with Hsus
Hartman in this city, and married her
on the 2sth of January. 1884 The baby
was born on the Sd of July, 1881 When
l married her | had no money, and
made arrangements for her to live with
her mother until spring, and then |
would rent a house. | was not
compelled to marry her; no threats or
force was used. Mrs. Hass, my mother
in>law. was not living with her husband
She got divorce from him and be hung
himself. Ny sister in-law Amelia, was
not living with her husband. aud not
divorced. She was living with man.
John Peters. who was married and was
not living with his wife. and not divorced
She was bad woman. and didn't want
to have anything to do with her all
ways gave all could earn to help sup.
port the family. | always treated my
wife kindly. When she was sick and had
the baby, her breast was swollen, and the
midwife said ! must get breast pump.
l bought one but she would not let me
use it, She said it would hurt her too
much. She put it to her breast herself.
but said she could not stand the pain,
and threw it from her And so TO help
her sucked her breast myself. The
trouble about the Ratchet was in this way
We had bedtick We wanted to fill I'D
again, and went out in the country aud
got some corn husks, and was taking the
tick down cellar, when The tick caught on
nail and tore little bit. She scolded
about the tear and as stepped up step
to release the tick from the nail they
slammed the door down upon me and sat
down on the door. When got upstairs
they were out of the house and | was
getting my things ready to pack up to
go away and my mother in>law hit me on
the hand with the Ratchet and my wife
with q stick Of wood | asked for nv